Zions Direct Announces Corporate Bond Auction Results Through April 6, 2012

Zions Direct Announces Corporate Bond Auction Results Through April 6, 2012

Auctions of Corporate Bonds for week ending April 6, 2012

SALT LAKE CITY, April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Zions Direct, the online broker-dealer that allows its customers to purchase corporate bonds in its daily web-based auctions, announces its weekly auction results. In auctions closed from April 2, 2012 to April 6, 2012, investors purchasing corporate bonds in the auctions received average taxable yields 0.52 percentage points, or 52 basis points, higher than comparable bonds reported in FINRA's Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine (TRACE).

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Zions Direct, in conjunction with BondDesk Group LLC, regularly publishes a Market Snapshot for investors to help understand the current bond market, summarizing current weighted-average yields of investment-grade municipal and corporate bonds. Findings are compared against similar securities auctioned at Zions Direct Auctions. Since February 2007, Zions Direct has auctioned over 1.1 billion dollars in more than 5,000 fixed-income auctions.

    ZIONS DIRECT / BONDDESK(R) MARKET SNAPSHOT
    ------------------------------------------
    Corporate Bonds' Average Yields Trade Data (source: FINRA's TRACE)
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       2012 - 2013           2013      2014      2015      2017      2019      2022
                                                                       -----------           ----      ----      ----      ----      ----      ----
    Rating                                                             <9mo              1 yr      2 yr      3 yr      5 yr      7 yr      10 yr
    ------                                                             ----              ----      ----      ----      ----      ----      -----
    AAA                                                                            0.20%     0.31%     0.55%     0.65%     1.34%     2.15%     2.49%
    ---                                                                            ----      ----      ----      ----      ----      ----      ----
    AA                                                                             0.29%     0.61%     0.96%     1.49%     2.04%     3.10%     3.91%
    ---                                                                            ----      ----      ----      ----      ----      ----      ----
    A                                                                              0.60%     0.92%     1.34%     2.06%     2.74%     3.37%     4.05%
    ---                                                                            ----      ----      ----      ----      ----      ----      ----
    BBB                                                                            0.77%     1.25%     2.09%     2.34%     3.04%     4.00%     4.42%
    ---                                                                            ----      ----      ----      ----      ----      ----      ----

    Corporate Bond Auction Comparison Data (auction data from auctions.zionsdirect.com)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Issuer                          Term                 Rating               Auction Yield       TRACE           Difference
    ------                          ----                 ------               -------------       -----           ----------
                                                                                                  Avg Yield       (basis points)
                                                                                                  ---------       -------------
    Johnson &
     Johnson                        4 Month              AAA                                0.89%           0.20%                 69
    ---------                       -------              ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    McGraw-Hill
     Companies, Inc                 7 Month              A                                  1.35%           0.60%                 75
    ---------------                 -------              ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Diageo Capital
     PLC                            10 Month             A                                  1.49%           0.92%                 57
    --------------                  --------             ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Kellogg Co                      11 Month             BBB                                1.32%           1.25%                 07
    ----------                      --------             ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    HSBC Finance
     Corp                           1 Month              A                                  1.45%           0.60%                 85
    ------------                    -------              ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Safeway Inc                     4 Month              BBB                                1.15%           0.77%                 38
    -----------                     -------              ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Bank Of New
     York Mellon                    1 Year               A                                  1.22%           0.92%                 30
    ------------                    ------               ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Wachovia Corp
     (Wells Fargo)                  16 Month             A                                  1.75%           0.92%                 83
    --------------                  --------             ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Pepsico Inc                     1 Month              A                                  0.99%           0.60%                 39
    -----------                     -------              ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    General Mills
     Inc                            5 Month              BBB                                0.94%           0.77%                 17
    -------------                   -------              ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Goldman Sachs
     Group Inc                      7 Month              A                                  1.40%           0.60%                 80
    -------------                   -------              ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Morgan Stanley                  11 Month             A                                  1.59%           0.92%                 67
    --------------                  --------             ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Goldman Sachs
     Group Inc                      4 Month              A                                  1.00%           0.60%                 40
    -------------                   -------              ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Bank of America
     Corp                           5 Month              BBB                                1.00%           0.77%                 23
    ---------------                 -------              ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    American
     Express Bank,
     FSB.                           1 Year               BBB                                1.48%           1.25%                 23
    --------------                  ------               ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Royal Bank of
     Canada                         16 Month             AA                                 1.60%           0.61%                 99
    -------------                   --------             ---                                ----            ----                 ---
    Average
     Difference                                                                                                                   52
    -----------                                                                                                                  ---
For more information on Zions Direct and the BondDesk Market Snapshot go to zionsdirect.com to sign up to receive the free weekly newsletter or visit think.zionsdirect.com to view a Market Snapshot archive.

THE INFORMATION IN THE MARKET SNAPSHOT IS NOT INTENDED TO SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR INVESTMENT DECISIONS. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT AN INDICATION OF FUTURE RESULTS.

About Zions Direct

Zions Direct is a broker-dealer that specializes in offering securities for self-directed and fixed income-focused investors. Zions Direct allows retail investors to buy FDIC-insured certificates of deposit, corporate and municipal bonds, and other investment products through its web-based Bond Store and auction platforms. In addition, clients can invest in stocks, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds online or through a Zions Direct financial representative.

About BondDesk Group LLC

BondDesk Group LLC is a financial technology firm, providing enterprise-wide fixed income solutions to many of the top broker-dealers in North America. The BondDesk Alternative Trading System (ATS), run by BondDesk Trading LLC, connects broker-dealers through a centralized marketplace by offering a diverse pool of liquidity for odd-lot fixed income securities in multiple asset classes. The BondDesk ATS executes over 20,000 transactions per day by providing 2,000 broker-dealers access to 35,000 live and executable offerings from over 100 premier fixed income dealers. In addition, BondDesk Group is a leading provider of innovative fixed income wealth management solutions, advisor workstations and fixed income analytical tools and applications.

Market Snapshot Information Disclaimer

TRACE bond trade data displayed as weighted average yield. Corporate bond information from FINRA's Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine (TRACE) as of April 6, 2012. The Trade Data was developed by BondDesk Group based on trade reporting information from TRACE, and excludes transactions in callable and floating-rate coupon bonds. Auction information from auctions.zionsdirect.com as of April 6, 2012. The aggregate rating for each bond is based on average ratings from Moody's and S&P (when available).

Although information in this Market Snapshot is believed to be reliable, Zions Direct and BondDesk make no express or implied warranties of any kind regarding this information, including as to its accuracy or completeness. Auction data excludes bonds in undersubscribed auctions. Any specific weekly results may be heavily influenced by large, atypical volatility, trade volume, or other unusual investing events.

Terms are defined as follows: < 9 months = anything up to .75 years to maturity; 1 year = anything greater than 0.75 years up to 1.5 years to maturity; 2 years = anything greater than 1.5 years up to 2.5 years to maturity; 3 years = anything greater than 2.5 years up to 4 years to maturity; 5 years = anything greater than 4 years up to 6 years to maturity; 7 years = anything greater than 6 years up to 8.5 years to maturity; 10 years = anything greater than 8.5 years up to 11.5 years to maturity.

Investment products and services offered through Zions Direct, member of FINRA/SIPC, a non-bank subsidiary of Zions Bank are NOT insured by the FDIC or any federal or state governmental agency, are NOT deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, Zions Bancorporation or its affiliates, and MAY be subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of principal value or amount invested.

SOURCE  Zions Direct

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Zions Direct

CONTACT: Russell Fisher, Vice President, +1-801-844-7826, or Alison Andersen, Communications Officer, +1-801-844-7710

Web Site: http://www.zionsdirect.com